


Friday Driver

by ModSoul



Series: Between the Lines [4]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Episode: s04e15 The Sinking Ship The Grand Applause, Established Relationship, Fake tumblr ask, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Missing Scene, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, Season/Series 04, Treatment of injuries, gotham is real, real gothamite explaining fictional events
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22978492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ModSoul/pseuds/ModSoul
Summary: Everyone who watched Season 4 knew that Oswald didn't drive his own car, but does he even know how to?Or: How Ed found out about Oswald's driving skills when they left the pier after the successful rescue from Sofia's goons.
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot & Edward Nygma, Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma
Series: Between the Lines [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1588390
Comments: 2
Kudos: 55





	Friday Driver

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a larger series I still have to write.  
> What you need to know:  
> \- Every part of this ask-stories consists of three parts: The Tumblr-post, the flashback to what really happened, Ed's and/or Os' reaction to the post/memory.  
> \- They started dating after Reunification, by the time the questions are asked they have been married for about a decade.  
> \- The Flash went back in time with files upon files on the DC characters & inspired the comic universe, while Batman made sure that any information regarding it would not appear in Gotham, meaning: The comics, movies and shows exist in the world, while the Rogues are non the wiser.  
> \- When Penguin & Riddler figured this out they wrote their version which in turn was used as basis for the show Gotham.  
> \- After they made a spectacular appearance at a Comic Con, revealing themselves to be real, people started questioning what is real and what is fictional.  
> \- A Tumblr savy Gothamite ended up answering those questions(, as Batmans information block had been cleared after Penguin guilt tripped him into doing so).  
> \- All asks are stand alone - if they refer to things happening in other Fics, those will be linked(, once I publish them).  
> \- The above mentioned things will become their own Fics, including the actual introduction to the Tumblr-user in the last chapter of [Gotham Conspiracy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26163706).
> 
> What happens when they get to Martin will be covered in a separate story.

YesILiveInTHEGotham **Anonymous** asked:Gotham-Penguin says he doesn’t drive his own car, but we see him use cars occasionally. Does he even have a driver’s license? No idea, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t have one. A lot of people in Gotham don’t have a driver’s license and don’t give a shit about it. Everyone knows he always has a driver on call. #Real Gothamite Talking#Gotham is real Driving in Gotham#Penguin and Riddler are married 42 notes 

~~~

“God dammit, Oswald!” Ed growled in pain. The other had made another sharp turn around a corner, jostling them from side to side in the stolen car and of course had hit a pothole right after. The pain from his drilled gums made Ed's head pound. He felt sick. Blood loss and awful driving would do that to a person. When Oswald went right across a red light a car honked loudly at them and Ed pressed his head against the seat. “How on earth did you ever pass the driving test?”  
Oswald’s silence made Ed look at him and his jaw dropped as Oswald mouth was opening and closing without him saying anything, obviously looking for the right words. “You-you don’t ...”  
“How would I have paid for it?” Oswald interrupted him harshly before making another turn that had Ed clutch any surface available.

Finally they reached Lee’s clinic in the Narrows and Ed let out a long breath. Oswald just shook his head with a huff before leaving the car. As he got out himself, Ed staggered when he put his weight on his injured leg. He held onto the door to let the wave of pain wash over him. If this was anything like what Oswald experienced when he walked, he had no idea how the other even made it through a day.  
“Do you need help?” Oswald asked, concern noticeable in his tone.  
“No, I’m good,” Ed lied, pushing himself forward.  
Wordlessly he lead them into the clinic. They certainly made for a ridiculous picture, both of them limping, Oswald still in his dirty Arkham uniform and a barely dry coat, Ed covered in blood. Finally inside Ed sat down on the treatment table. He felt dizzy and it was high time they treated his wounds.  
“Alright, what do we need?” Oswald surveyed the room.  
Ed rattled out the list, only pausing when the pain in his gums was too strong to continue. “There is whiskey in a drawer in Lee’s desk.”  
“I’m not cleaning your wounds with alcohol,” Oswald interjected.  
“Let me finish,” Ed growled, rolling his eyes. “There should be clean glasses as well. You can pour the saline solution in there.”  
Oswald nodded and got to work, shuffling around to get the supplies they needed.

The solution burned but Ed knew, he had to use it to clean his wounds. Spitting it out he opened his mouth so Oswald could put the cotton roll he had already put on pincers into his mouth. Biting down on them once this was done for both sides of his mouth, Ed flinched. It hurt, bad. He should have taken the painkiller first, but that would have probably knocked him out too fast.  
“Now we need the sewing kit,” Ed declared, or at least tried. The words that came out where muffled and barely understandable.  
Oswald smirked. “I should have let the Dentist work on you earlier if it meant you would be quiet for a while.”  
Ed glowered at him, but Oswald was not impressed by it. Instead he lifted a wet cloth to Ed’s face and gently rubbed the dried blood away. How someone as fierce and violent as the Penguin could also have such a sweet and tender side, always befuddled Ed. Sweet. No, Oswald was not sweet, he knew that roughly cleaning Ed’s lips and cheeks would just aggravate the pain further. There was nothing sweet about it, just cold and calculated efficiency.  
“Take off your pants,” Oswald ordered when he was finished and turned around.  
“What?” Ed was not sure he understood correctly.  
“I’m not cleaning your wound through your clothes,” Oswald argued still not looking at him, instead focused on finding what he was looking for.  
Awkwardly Ed rose to stand, grunting when his feet met the floor. It did not feel right to expose himself in front of Oswald, but he was right, it was necessary to properly clean the stab wound. Letting his pants drop to the ground after pealing them from the wound Ed sat back. Just in time for Oswald to have everything ready.  
“Scoot up,” Oswald commanded as he approached and Ed obliged wincing at the movement.  
Oswald settled between his spread legs and started to carefully clean his injury. Beside the pain a warmth spread through Ed. From the gingerly placed hand on his thigh up to regions that should not react like that. Oswald was too close.  
“Lemme do the rest,” Ed practically shoved him away when the area had been disinfected.  
“I know how to sew!” Oswald tried to argue, one eyebrow raised in confusion.  
“Just let me do it!” Ed insisted and grabbed the needle the other had already prepared.

Once Ed was cleaned and decent Oswald talked him into giving him his phone so he could call Lee to find out what had happened with Sofia. When she did not answer Ed sent out a message to some Narrows’ kid to find out what they needed to know. Thus, they waited silently, each lost in their own thoughts. When all of this started, Ed had not expected to end up here. To be fair his original plan included taking their time torturing Sofia, together, and then taking Oswald to see the boy for whom he had sacrificed his power and freedom. Though, Ed still did not understand how easy it had been for the other to do just that. Gone was the selfish gremlin who had killed to keep someone at his side, only to lose them completely. It also surprised Ed how he himself had not thought once about withholding the information the wannabe mob-boss wanted from him. A riddle hiding the mystery of what she wanted to know. Quite clever, if he was being honest, and as expected Sofia did not have the patience nor the intellect to figure it out. After all, the Penguin was free again and nothing that would hold him back was at her disposal. Yet, judging by Oswald freely giving up his revenge to rescue him, he was not certain if she had calculated that outcome. Had she known that despite their animosity they still would help each other in an emergency? _I would do anything for you_ , the words suddenly echoed in Ed’s mind, taking him back to simpler times. When touch and praise was given without a thought. Shaking his head free from the memories he groaned again and let himself lean back onto the table to rest for a moment.  


Startled by a loud knocking Ed woke up from his slumber. He had not meant to fall asleep, but exhaustion must have taken oven. Grunting and groaning he sat up. Oswald was lounging in Lee’s chair, drinking her whiskey, seemingly waiting for him to decide what to do as he slowly righted himself as well. With his fingers Ed took the cotton from his mouth before calling whoever was at the door in.  
“She’s in the hospital with that cop guy. The falcon lady shot him up pretty badly,” the kid reported as soon as they were through the door.  
“It’s Falcone,” Oswald corrected them annoyed. “What happened to her?”  
The kid shrugged their shoulders. “Was put into an ambulance too, so I suppose not dead.”  
“Dammit.” Oswald smashed the glass onto the table. “That bitch.”  
“You can go now,” Ed dismissed the kid with a few Dollar bills, before standing on shaky legs as soon as they had left.  
“We’ll get her,” he promised, putting his hand on Oswald’s shoulder. The comforting gesture felt strange and yet right.  
Without looking at him Oswald patted Ed’s hand and sighed. “I know, she’ll pay for what she did.”  
As if hit, Ed took his hand away and made a step back, stroking his fingers over his skin where Oswald had touched him.  
Oswald did not seem to notice, as he simply changed the topic: “Where did you bring Martin?”  
“I can show you, but I’m driving.”

~~~

“Why are you giggling?” Oswald asked.  
Ed looked up from his phone to find the other had raised one of his eyebrows in suspicion. “Just, remembered how I found out that you never learned how to drive.”  
“I learned how to drive,” Oswald corrected him, a touch of offence in his tone, daring Ed to oppose him.  
“Debatable,” Ed jested, leaning his head on his folded hands, grinning at his husband.  
Oswald merely scoffed and rolled his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed :)
> 
> For those interested in Behind the Scenes stuff, there were two things I had to google to get the story to where I wanted it:  
> #1: What is that thing called you sit down on at the doctor's? I went with "treatment table", as couch seemed weird. If any of you can explain the difference to me, I'd be quite delighted. (I'd also accept pictures of doctor's offices with arrows pointing to things and naming them ...)  
> #2: Is there an English equivalent to the German phrase/saying "den Führerschein im Lotto gewonnen haben" (to have won the driver's license in the lottery - meaning whoever is driving is an exceptionally bad driver and could have never passed the driving test without cheating)? Apparently there isn't, so if anyone wants to shed some light onto this as well, let me know!


End file.
